Low-cost flights to Cape Town and Durban

The cost of flying to South Africa is about to drop significantly with the launch of a low-cost airline. CivAir (civair.com) is offering flights from R1,999 (£173.67) one-way excluding tax. The Stansted-based airline will operate three flights a week to Cape Town from October 30 and to Durban three times a week, from December 3.

At the time of going to press a return flight to Cape Town, departing Stansted October 30 and returning November 14 costs R4,928.67 (£428.20). By comparison a British Airways flight to Cape Town on the same date costs £649.70, South African Airways' fare is £664.70 and Virgin Atlantic costs £649 (all prices include taxes).

British Airways is adding a further five services a week to its Cape Town route from October and, following the announcement that South Africa will host the football World Cup in 2010, Moeketsie Mosola, CEO of South Africa Tourism, said other airlines will follow BA's lead.

Mosola said there will also be a major focus on boosting accommodation capacity in the coming years. "We will build to fill in the gaps between cheap guesthouses and expensive hotels."